Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Ornithological information The site is very important for breeding, wintering and passage waterbirds, with over 10,000 waders passing through the delta in spring. Thirty-five species of passerine breed in the forests and Haliaeetus albicilla has bred in the past.

Site description The largest area of intact wetland on the Turkish Black Sea coast, comprising open water, marsh vegetation (including vast reedbeds), sand-dunes, farmland and remnant woodland (including Alnus/Fraxinus seasonally-flooded forest). The lake edges support Phragmites and Typha; the dunes support maquis-like vegetation. Outside the IBA, the delta is used for grazing and intensive arable production. Reed-cutting is an important economic activity (`Other' land-use).

Populations of IBA trigger species

Protected areas

Protected area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Kýzýlýrmak Delta	SIT (Law on Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets No. 2863)	11,000	protected area contained by site	11,000
Kizilirmak Delta	Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar)	21,700	protected area contained by site	21,700
Kizilirmak Deltasi	Game Reserve	4,000	protected area contained by site	5,174

Habitats

Land use

Management considerations The Bafra irrigation project will claim a large part of the remaining wetland. Other major threats include pollution from agricultural run-off and untreated sewage, and the construction of holiday homes. Illegal hunting still takes place. Fish catches have declined in the eastern half of the delta, possibly as a result of over-fishing and pollution. Sand extraction, although illegal, is common. Reed-burning occurs throughout the year to improve grazing conditions. DHKD ran a conservation project from 1992 to 1997 and lobbied for suitable protection for the area. A 1996 management plan regulates all land-use in the delta, and places restrictions on the construction of holiday homes.

Protection status National High International Partial4,000 ha of IBA covered by Permanent Wildlife Reserve (Kýzýlýrmak Deltasý, 4,000 ha). 11,000 ha of IBA covered by SÝT (Kýzýlýrmak Deltasý, 11,000 ha). 11,000 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Kýzýlýrmak Deltasý, 11,000 ha).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Kızılırmak Delta. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013

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